


wipe your tears

by falling in love (princess_zel)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Breakup, F/M, Modern AU, Zutara, jet/katara (past-ish), kind of angsty? idk, not a jet hate fic, tea is comfort, uncle iroh knows, zuko is comfort, zuko is so sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:00:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26761012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_zel/pseuds/falling%20in%20love
Summary: Zuko's been working at his uncle's tea shop in Ba Sing Se for the past few months. He hates how Jet always seems to make Katara cry. No matter how many tears she sheds, he'll always be there to wipe them before they dry.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 88





	wipe your tears

**Author's Note:**

> this is admittedly not the best written oneshot i've ever created, but i still think it's kinda sweet. i'm working up to writing a Zutara longfic, but i've just been writing tons of oneshots in the meantime :))

He hates it. The way Jet’s hand brushes against her soft cheek. The way she subtly flinches when Jet tries to pull her closer. The way her bright blue eyes meet his from across the tea shop, not quite a plea for help but troubling nonetheless.

He’s on duty now, working his new job at his Uncle Iroh’s tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Instead of his typical suit and tie, he’s clad in a pair of pants made of thin material, a light shirt, and an apron. It’s almost humiliating, serving tea to paying customers instead of attending high profile business meetings. Still, his uncle has taught him the value and unabashed honesty that comes from simple, hard work, and he’s learned to appreciate it, instead of resenting it like his father expects of him. 

“Zuko, would you take this out to that table by the window?” his uncle requests, handing him a pot of steaming mint tea.

Making careful eye contact with his uncle, Zuko understands as he carries the pot over to the table where she and Jet are sitting. Wordlessly, he sets the pot on the table, willing Jet to not notice him, willing Jet to leave her alone.

What wishful thinking.

Jet’s attention averts from her to Zuko, his lips lifting into an ugly sneer. “Well, look who we have here… scum sent straight from the Fire Nation.” He stands, paying no mind to the girl beside him.

She tries to tug on his sleeve, hissing, “Jet, sit down. Leave him alone.”

The pot sits harmlessly on the table, mint lightly wafting from the spout. Said to help soothe the soul and quell anxiety, Zuko’s well aware of why Uncle wanted him to bring this over to the table by the window. Jet’s seething hard enough to give someone a need for it.

Zuko knows Jet from the few times they’ve bumped into each other since Zuko’s arrival earlier this summer. As soon as Jet discovered where Zuko was from, he blew his top, bubbling with anger. Zuko knows that Jet has experienced much loss in his life, especially because of the Fire Nation, but it isn’t Zuko’s fault. He’s never done anything to hurt Jet. The other times they’ve run into each other, he always does his best to leave before the other boy can exacerbate the situation.

“Why should I leave him alone, Katara?” Jet snaps back. “He’s from the country that killed my parents so many years ago. You should know better than anyone what the Fire Nation did to people during the war… My parents. Your mother.”

Katara’s blue eyes lower, and Zuko can sense deep conflict rising within her. He wishes he could retreat back to the kitchen with his uncle, but he knows he has to stay. If not for his own honor, then for the honor of his country that’s trying to make amends.

“You know as well as I do that the Fire Nation is working to restore its honor with the other nations,” Katara retorts, and Zuko feels uncomfortably like an unwanted spectator in the moment, a mere distraction from a bigger argument that’s happening between the two of them right now. Maybe that’s why Uncle sent him with the tea. “And besides that, you can’t just go around blaming every other Fire Nation citizen that you see. Just like how you shouldn’t be blaming me for being responsible for your failure last semester.”

At this, Jet stands, his dark eyes flashing furiously. “Well, maybe if you spent less time talking about politics with your little buddies, then you’d have been able to help me study better so that I didn’t fail!”

Zuko clears his throat uncomfortably, knowing what he has to do but not knowing whether he has the guts to really pull it off. “Jet, I’m going to have to ask you to simmer down. My uncle’s shop is a place of relaxation for a lot of people, and I don’t know if our other guests will take too kindly to this display.”

Oh, Agni, people are starting to stare.

Fuming, Jet turns to him again. “You’re one to talk - Maybe if the Fire Nation had simmered down ten years ago when they brought on a whole world war, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“And  _ I’m _ the one who’s always going on about politics,” Katara scoffs. “Jet, you should go. You have an interview soon.” Furiously checking his watch, Jet sees that she’s right. “And don’t bother calling me later tonight. Or ever. I think we’re done here.” Little tears sparkle in her eyes, but she looks resolved.

Jet huffs, “Yeah, right.” He turns to leave. “You’ll be back for more later. Girls always are.” He stalks out of the shop swiftly, but not without giving Zuko one last shoulder shove.

“No, I won’t be,” Katara says, her voice wavering slightly. She presses her lips together firmly, her hand shaking as she reaches out for the tea pot.

With a kind smile, Zuko grips the handle before she can, pouring two cups. He glances back at his uncle who gives him a thumbs up. Carefully sliding a cup across the table, he tentatively takes a seat beside her.

She refuses to make eye contact, swiping her tears away angrily. “I’m sorry about how Jet acted,” she finally says, tilting her head away from him so that she can look out the window. Ba Sing Se’s alive with activity, people bustling and cars whizzing down the crowded city streets.

Zuko shakes his head, “Don’t be.” He cradles his cup in his hands. “He’s never really had anything pleasant to say about me.”

“Yeah, well,” Katara begins hesitantly, “he’s never really had anything pleasant to say about me either.” She’s watching him closely, out of the corner of her eye.

“He’s hurting,” Zuko says. He knows this to be true after his multiple observations and encounters with Jet. “But that doesn’t give him an excuse to hurt you too.”

Placing her hand under her chin, Katara leans away from him, resting against the shop’s sturdy wall. “I know… I know. I’m normally better at standing up for myself, but I’ve grown very tired over the past few weeks. You know him. Nothing ever makes him happy.”

They both grow quiet for a bit, sipping their tea, careful not to burn themselves on the still hot liquid.

“Are you happy?” Zuko asks, his molten gaze searching her blue one. Blue eyes… He knows from past conversations that she’s from the Southern Water Tribe; it’s a wonder that she can even sit next to him, a son of the Fire Nation. The war ended five years ago, but to most people, it feels like yesterday. Tension among all the nations is still high. The world is still reeling from the tragedy brought on them by the war.

She’s silent for a bit. “No,” she admits. “No, I’m not. I’m not happy with Jet. The war has poisoned him, and he’s so bitter from it. I can only imagine who he was before his parents were lost and his life became what it is today.”

“You can’t save everyone,” is all he can think to say in response.

She hangs her head at that. “I know that Jet’s hurt you - I’ve seen the way he’s pushed you around, and I haven’t been able to stand up to him. He’s not… bad. He’s not a bad guy. He’s just really lost his way, and I no longer think I’m the one who’s supposed to be there to help him find it again.” She sets her tea cup down with a sigh. Her brows furrow and crease as her eyes water again.

A tiny tear slips down her cheek, and before Zuko can think to stop himself, he lifts up his thumb to gently wipe it away. Her blue eyes meet his measuredly, but he doesn’t get the slap that he’s expecting. Instead, she leans her head lightly on his shoulder, tears racing down her skin even quicker than before.

“You’ve always been so kind to me,” he finally says. His words cut through the chaos and ruckus of his uncle’s shop, making their way to Katara’s ears only. “Even when everyone else rejected me for being from the Fire Nation and Jet treated me so poorly, you were my friend. He got far more than he ever deserved from you.”

Twisting her hands nervously in her lap, Katara whispers, “I’m better off without him.”

“You are,” he agrees, unconsciously letting his head rest atop hers as they sit there together in comfortable silence.

Some time passes, but he doesn’t even have to wonder whether or not his uncle is okay with him taking his break early. Uncle Iroh’s watching them with a fond glint in his eye, collecting empty dishes and bringing them to the back. Ever since Zuko first came to Ba Sing Se, Iroh’s always had a suspicion that Zuko and Katara were close, despite her problematic boyfriend. He’s glad to see that he was right.

“I just broke up with my boyfriend, but I don’t feel sad,” Katara muses.

Zuko doesn’t dare look at her. “He wasn’t good enough for a girl like you.” He can’t believe he just said that. A light dusting of pink spreads across her cheeks, and she nestles even further into his side. Zuko hesitates for a second before wrapping an arm around her, bringing her closer. “I’m sorry, Katara,” he whispers. “No one’ll make you cry again if I can help it.”

“Thank you, Zuko.” She reaches up with her sleeve, about to use it to sweep her tears from her face. 

Before she can do it, though, Zuko’s already brushing them away with his free hand. “I’ll always wipe your tears before they dry.”

She tilts her head to look up at him. “Promise?”

Resting his head atop hers, he brings her even closer to him, for once not giving a second thought to the apron he’s wearing or the so-called lowliness of the service job he’s now employed with. He can feel his uncle’s approving gaze watching them both as he whispers back, “I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to everyone who's been reading my oneshots n saying hi via [tumblr](http://elsie-zel.tumblr.com/)!! i feel super welcomed into the community (and i haven't actually written anything substantial yet lol!)


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